Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1959, Blaðsíða 104
90
1308, 1337, 1352, 1366-67 (= SD), 1382, 1526 (= S), 1566-67 (= S),
1586, 1589-93, 1599, 1611 (=5), 1705 (=5), 1753?, 1774, 1780 (= S),
V4 1980 (in add. laisse before 1869), 1893, 1901-1901add. (= D), 1947
= S), 1949 (=S), 1991 (= S), 2010 (= S), 2016 (= S), 2018 (= S),
2158, 2226 (=5), 2460, 2472 (= S), 2475-76 (= S), 2482, about 75 to
80 verses.
Most of the differences between a and Bb are small, and in some cases
it is only because the Bb reading is supported by S that it is possible to
decide which reading is better. Quite often the difference is due to a scribal
error in a. Nevertheless the number of superior variants in Bb should malce
us cautious in accepting a readings in those parts of the text which have
been shortened or omitted in the other MSS. Brief amplifications and
explanatory notes in a, which are not supported by any French MS, must
be regarded with a certain amount of suspicion.
The modifications of the text in the Bb version are more important
and more numerous. The editor has made a more determined attempt
than the author of the Aa version to get rid of contradictions, repetitions,
and expressions which did not agree with his idea of a saga style. A good
example is the treatment of vv. 22-24 in the two versions:
O 22: N’i ad paien ki un sul mot respundet,
23: Fors Blancandrins de Castel de Valfunde.
Laisse III.
24: Blancandrins fut des plus saives paiens;
The verses are correctly translated in a:
En engi heiSingi svarar honum orSi
nema Blankandin af kastala Valsundi.
Hann var hinn vitrasti maSr (p. 48418-20).
but in Bb, the passage has been revised:
En engi heiSingi varS til at svara hans måli. MaSr hét Blankandin hann var
mikill hofSingi ok rtkr, hann var or kastala peim er Valsundi heitir. Hann var hinn
vitrasti maSr (p. 484, note 12).
Another example is the treatment of v. 894:
Uns amurafles i ad de Balaguez,
a: Einn frjålslendingr af {m landi er heitir Balaguer (p. 50321-5041),
B: Einn gildr kappi af pvi landi er heitir Balaguer, hann er eigi nefndr
b: Einn mikill kappi - - - - sd er nefndr Malpriant
(p. 504, note 1).